A consumer concerned about alopecia areata type hair loss writes:  Does HairGenesis® work in the setting of alopecia areata (AA) as well as for other forms of hair loss?  Here's my response:

Your e-mail was forwarded to my attention so I hope you do not mind if I reply personally.  I should preface my comments by noting that I am a Ph.D. research scientist, NOT an M.D. clinician.  This means that any thoughts I offer in this regard should not be construed as medical advice.  As long as we both appreciate the limitations of what I've just conveyed, here are my thoughts.

Alopecia areata (AA) is thought to result from the body's mounting a foreign body response to hair follicles.  In effected individuals, it seems that the immune system perceives its own hair follicles as 'other' rather than 'self'.  And just as bacteria, viruses, and even splinters may be perceived by the body as foreign bodies that need to be attacked,  in the case of alopecia areata, the organism mistakenly attacks its own hair.  The specific reasons are still being debated and much research is presently underway in order to better understand the underlying mechanisms of AA.  A tantalizing clue may be the fact that hair represents one of the most rapidly proliferating systems in the body.  Perhaps in AA this rapid rate of growth triggers a cascade of auto-protective chemical signals that flag the hair follicle as an invasive or pathological force.

At present, treatment options generally include steroid administration such as cortisone and/or dexamethasone.  Response to  treatment is highly variable.  Some people respond well, others less so.  Upon noticing patchy and rapid hair loss a visit to one's primary treating physician represents a sensible starting point.  After ruling out other causes, and upon a definitive diagnosis of AA, a referral to a dermatologist who specializes in hair loss will usually be the appropriate course of action.